Was Zulu once Zebra?
Brian Jordan
once "Zebra". My sources back to my 1962 Newnes Radio Engineer's
Pocket Book all give "Zulu", but I've just heard a snatch of a radio
play about a Lancaster bomber "Z-Zebra", and so I wonder whether the
changes I dimly remember hearing about were before '62.
Can anyone enlighten me, please, and were there other changes?
73, Brian
--
Brian G7UNK at kobold press
bj...@kpress.demon.co.uk
John Morris
Ste...@stevef.demon.co.uk "Stephen John Farthing" writes:
> There are at least 4 phonetic alphabets according to the Desk Diary I
> have at work .
[snip]
...and quite a few more.
There used to be somebody about the net who made a hobby of collecting
phonetic alphabets, and posted the collection occasionally. That was a
year or two ago, and I don't know if they still do it. Lurk in
alt.usage.english for a while if you are interested - it tended to
turn up there quite often.
Happy New Year!
J.
--
John Morris In the time it takes you to read this sentence,
Jo...@kirsta.demon.co.uk eighty six letters could have been processed by
GM4ANB@GB7EDN.#77.GBR.EU your brain. - Douglas R Hofstadter
Walt Davidson
>A friend needs to know whether "Zulu" in the phonetic alphabet was
>once "Zebra".
A completely different phonetic alphabet was used by the British forces
during WW-2 (and earlier). The present world-wide standard (originally
NATO) phonetic alphabet only became adopted beyond the USA in 1959. [ITU
Regulations, Geneva, 1959].
So far as I recall, the British forces phonetic alphabet went something
like:
Able Baker Charlie Dog Easy Fox George How Ida Jig King Love Mike Nan
Oboe Peter Queen Roger Sugar Tare Uncle Vic Willie X-Ray Yoke Zebra.
Numerous other phonetic alphabets have been used over the years. For
example, there was one UK variant which contained words like Item and
John. Geographical locations were popular at one time (America Boston
Canada Denmark, etc). The British "GPO" (telephones) had its own rather
odd phonetic list, which for some reason included many YL names (Lucy,
Mary, Nellie, etc) ... probably dreamed up by some matronly telephone
exchange supervisor in the 1920's!.
Germany had its own phonetic alphabet until after WW-2. (The NATO list
was eventually adopted). Russia still has a choice of two standard
phonetic lists.
In the NATO list, "Golf" and "Echo" seem to give rise to most problems
with lack of clarity ... especially "Golf", which Spaniards and Dutchmen
find impossible to pronounce as originally intended!
73 de Germany th-uh-ree Norway Yokohama Yokohama
--
Walt Davidson E-mail: wa...@servelan.co.uk
10052...@compuserve.com
Stephen John Farthing
A Alpha
B Bravo
and so on.
My mum was an RAF wireless operator in WW2. She used
A Able
B Baker
C Charlie
and so on.
There is one based on the names of places and I cannot remember the fourth.
Also some hams seem to make them up as they go along. I can post a complete
list of these when I get the diary from work.
-----
Steve Farthing | ste...@stevef.demon.co.uk |
Melksham RSGB GQRP 7766 BCS Almost up to 12WPM with the Morse Code
Wiltshire UK QRP-L #218
James Dunnett
> A friend needs to know whether "Zulu" in the phonetic alphabet was
> once "Zebra". My sources back to my 1962 Newnes Radio Engineer's
> Pocket Book all give "Zulu", but I've just heard a snatch of a radio
> play about a Lancaster bomber "Z-Zebra", and so I wonder whether the
> changes I dimly remember hearing about were before '62.
>
> Can anyone enlighten me, please, and were there other changes?
The phonetic alphabet was different during the war. A bit before my time,
but as far as I can recall it was:
Able Baker Charlie Dog Easy Fox George How Item Jig? King
L.... Mike Nan Orange P.... Queenie Roger Sugar Tare Uniform?
Vic W.... Xray Yellow Zebra
Perhaps someone can fill in the gaps and correct any which are wrong.
-Jim, g4rga
jay...@compulink.co.uk
jim...@rmplc.co.uk
Ian G3SEK
Davidson) writes:
: In the NATO list, "Golf" and "Echo" seem to give rise to most problems
: with lack of clarity ... especially "Golf", which Spaniards and Dutchmen
: find impossible to pronounce as originally intended!
It works both ways. Imagine my embarrassment when I couldn't make a
Spaniard understand my pronunciation of "Sierra"!
--
73 from Ian G3SEK
David Hough
ad...@bnr.co.uk (Andrew Benham) writes:
> My favourite is that in an earlier phonetic alphabet, "C" was "Canada".
>
> Only problem is that, in German, that country is spelt "Kanada"....
>
How about 'Emma' for 'M'.
Dave
--
da...@llondel.demon.co.uk
Any advice above is worth what I paid for it.
Andrew Benham
Only problem is that, in German, that country is spelt "Kanada"....
--
Andrew Benham A.D.S....@bnr.co.uk
BNR Europe Ltd, 140 Greenway, Harlow Business Park, Harlow,
Essex CM19 5QD, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 1279 402372 Fax: +44 1279 405746
Richard Sterry
> It works both ways. Imagine my embarrassment when I couldn't make a
> Spaniard understand my pronunciation of "Sierra"!
Yes, I find that "Sierra" is the most often misheard/misunderstood word
in the NATO phonetic alphabet. It seems more effective to use "Sugar" or
even "Santiago", though I don't like using long words in this context.
I don't think much of the old alphabet, except that I remember years ago
I used to work G2ANT. If he had used the phonetics "Gee-Two-
Alpha-November-Tango" then I would never have remembered it so many
years later. However, "Gee-Two-Able-Nan-Tare" rolls off the tongue very
nicely!
--
Bye from Rick
+----------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+
| Richard Sterry | - Internet Email - | - Packet Radio - |
| Wakefield UK | ric...@waveg.demon.co.uk | G4BLT@GB7WRG.#19.GBR.EU |
+----------------+---------------------------+-------------------------+
Jlefever
Walt Davidson
> Only problem is that, in German, that country is spelt "Kanada"....
Ve haf vays of making zem talk .... English!
73 de G3NYY
Brian Jordan
My friend is happy, if bemused.
73, Brian
--
Brian Jordan at kobold press
bj...@kpress.demon.co.uk
Ernest Matthews
U.S. Army Signal Corp. School at Camp Gordon Ga. in 1950. At that time the letter "Z"
was identified by the word "Zebra" using the phonetic alphabet. I currently hold an
"Advance" class card "WB3COQ". 73's Ernest.
this...@gmail.com
By the way, most AIRLINE PILOTS learned as civilians, not military. Most people think the opposite. Approximately 80% or more Airline Pilots are civilian taught, not military. Delta likes military pilots for some dumb reason.
I have over 3,000 hours of dual given flight time including single, multi engine land, instrument (Dual Given means flight instruction given)CFI, CFII, MEI. I have 6,500 total hours.
Tracy H. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Brian Howie
this...@gmail.com writes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_Military_phonetic_spelling_alphabets
Zebra.
The Ables and the Bakers and the C's
The ABC's we all must face
Try to keep a little grace.
Brian
--
Brian Howie
A. non Eyemouse
question "where are they now?".
--
Mouse.
Where Morse meets House.
